200 Most Common Chinese Characters

  • I have listed out the first 100 Most Common Chinese Characters here.
  • Continue from the list, here are the “101 to 200” most frequently used characters that we have learnt, making up around 50% of the usage of Chinese.
Character Usage Pinyin Date/Link Meaning
1 58.0
09-Sep-2009 1. (n) day; daytime
2. (adv) daily; every day; a day and a night
3. (n) sun
2

57.9 jūn
15-Apr-2010 1. (n) armed forces
2. (n) army
3 57.7 zhě
25-May-2010 1. (pro) (used after a verb or adjective phrase to indicate a class of persons or things) one or those who; the thing or things which; -er
2. (pro) (used after a noun phrase ending with “work” or “ism” to indicate the person doing the stated work or holding the stated doctrine) -er; -ist
3. (pro) used with the numbers 二、三、数, etc.
4 57.5
07-Jun-2010 1. (n) meaning; idea; thought
2. (n) wish; desire; intention
3. (v) expect
5

57.3
15-Dec-2009 1. (v) not have; there is not; without
2. (n) nothing; nil
3. (adv) not
4. (conjunction) regardless of; no matter whether, what, etc.
6 57.1
19-Feb-2010 1. (n) [Physics] force
2. (n) power; strength; ability
3. (n) physical strength
4. (v) do all one can; make every effort
7 56.9
27-May-2009 1. (pro) (referring to an animal, a thing or a matter) it
2. (pro) (plural (它们)) they; them
8

56.8
26-Feb-2010 1. (v) give; offer; grant
2. (prep) (used to indicate involvement, relationship, etc.) with
3. (prep) used to introduce the recipient of an action
4. (conjunction) and
9

56.6 cháng
13-Jan-2010 1. (adj) (of space or time) long
2. (n) length
3. (n) strong point
10 56.4
16-Feb-2010 1. (v) hold
2. (prep) used to shift the object to before the verb, which must be reduplicated or accompanied by some other word or expression
3. (n) handle (of a pushcart, etc.)
4. (measure word) for something with a handle
5. (prep) guard; watch
6. (v) guard; watch
11

56.2
16-Apr-2010 1. (n) machine; engine
2. (n) aircraft; aeroplane
3. (n) pivot; crucial point
4. (n) chance; opportunity
5. (n) flexible; quick-witted
6. (adj) flexible; quick-witted
12 56.0 shí
15-Aug-2011 1. (num) ten
13 55.9 mín
26-May-2010 1. (n) the people
2. (n) person
3. (n) civilian
4. (n) folk
14 55.7
16-Dec-2009 1. (n) used before numerals to form ordinal numbers
15 55.5 gōng
09-Jul-2009 1. (adj) public; state-owned; collective
2. (adj) equitable; impartial; fair; just
3. (adj) male (of animals)
4. (n) husband’s father; father-in-law
16 55.4
29-Apr-2010 1. (pro) this
2. (pro) here and now
17 55.2
02-Jun-2010 1. (v) stop; cease; end
2. (adv) already
18 55.0 gōng
23-Jun-2009 1. (n) worker; workman; the working class
2. (n) work; labour
3. (n) (construction) project
19 使 54.9 shǐ
15-Jun-2010 1. (v) use, employ, apply
2. (v) make, cause, enable
3. (n) envoy
20 54.7 qíng
04-Jun-2010 1. (n) feeling
2. (n) love; passion
3. (n) kindness
4. (n) situation; circumstances; condition
21 54.6 míng
16-Jun-2009 1. (adj) bright; brilliant; light
2. (adj) clear; distinct
3. (adj) immediately following in time
4. (v) understand; know
22 54.4 xìng
17-Nov-2010 1. (n) character; disposition
2. (n) function; property
3. (n) gender
4. (n) sex
23 54.2 zhī
14-Jun-2010 1. (v) know; realize; be aware of
2. (v) inform; notify; tell
3. (n) knowledge
24 54.1 quán
03-Jun-2010 1. (adj) complete
2. (adj) whole; entire; full; total
3. (adv) completely; entirely
4. (v) make complete; keep intact
25 53.9 sān
08-Aug-2011 1. (num) three
2. (num) third
3. (num) several
4. (num) a few
26 53.8 yòu
08-Jun-2010 1. (adv) again
2. (adv) both … and …
3. (adv) too
4. (adv) another
5. (adv) but
6. (adv) but
27

53.6 guān
28-Jul-2010 1. (v) shut; close
2. (v) turn off
3. (v) shut in; lock up
4. (v) (of a business) close down
5. (v) customs
6. (n) customs
28

53.5 diǎn
29-Jul-2010 1. (n) o’clock
2. (n) drop (of liquid)
3. (n) dot; point
4. (n) aspect; feature
5. (v) drip
6. (v) drip
29 53.3 zhèng
06-Oct-2010 1. (adj) straight; upright
2. (adj) situated in the middle; main
3. (adj) correct; right
4. (adj) punctually; sharp
5. (adj) just; right; precisely; exactly
6. (adv) just; right; precisely; exactly
30

53.2
29-Nov-2010 1. (n) industry
2. (n) occupation; profession
3. (n) course of study
4. (n) enterprise
5. (n) already
6. (adv) already
31 53.0 wài
09-Jun-2010 1. (n) outer; outward; outside
2. (adj) foreign; external
3. (adj) not of the same organization, class, etc.; not closely related
4. (adv) besides; in addition; beyond
32

52.9 jiāng
26-Jul-2010 1. (adv) be going to; be about to; will
2. (prep) used to shift the object to before the verb, which must be accompanied by some other expression
3. (v) support; take; use
4. (v) Chinese chess check
33

52.7 liǎng
04-Aug-2011 1. (num) two
2. (num) a few
3. (n) both
4. (measure word) unit of weight, equal to 50 grams
34 52.5 gāo
16-Jul-2009 1. (adj) tall; high
2. (adj) of a high level or degree;
35

52.4 jiān
01-Mar-2010 1. (n) between; among
2. (measure word) used for rooms
3. (n) room
4. (n) within a definite time or space
36 52.2 yóu
03-Jan-2011 1. (prep) by; through; via
2. (prep) because of; due to
3. (prep) from
4. (prep) by means of
5. (n) pass through; go by way of
6. (v) pass through; go by way of
37

52.1 wèn
29-Mar-2010 1. (v) ask; inquire
2. (v) send regards to
3. (v) interrogate; examine
4. (v) ask (somebody) for sth
38 51.9 hěn
01-Jun-2009 1. (adv) very; very much;
39 51.8 zuì
21-Jan-2010 1. (adv) most
40 51.7 zhòng
13-Jan-2011 1. (n) weight
2. (adj) heavy
3. (adj) considerable in amount or value
4. (adj) deep; heavy; serious
5. (adj) lay stress on; attach importance to
6. (v) lay stress on; attach importance to
41

並;併

51.5 bìng
31-Jan-2011 1. (v) combine; merge
2. (v) stand or place side by side
3. (adv) side by side; equally
4. (adv) simultaneously
5. (adv) and; besides
6. (conjunction) and; besides
42 51.4
02-Feb-2010 1. (n) thing; matter
2. (n) the outside world as distinct from oneself; other people
3. (n) content; substance
43 51.2 shǒu
06-Oct-2009 1. (n) hand; mitt
2. (n) a person doing or good at a certain job
3. (measure word) used for skill or dexterity
44

51.1 yīng
27-Jul-2010 1. (v) should; ought to
2. (v) answer; respond
3. (v) agree; promise
45

50.9 zhàn
11-Nov-2010 1. (n) war
2. (v) fight
3. (v) shiver; tremble
46

50.8 xiàng
14-Jul-2010 1. (n) direction
2. (v) face; turn towards
3. (v) take somebody’s part; side with; be partial to
4. (prep) to; towards; in the direction of
47

50.6 tóu
14-Oct-2009 1. (n) head
2. (n) hair (头发)
3. (n) beginning or end
4. (adj) leading; first
48 50.5 wén
13-Jul-2010 1. (n) writing; script
2. (n) written language
3. (n) literary composition; essay
4. (n) culture
5. (n) civilian; civil
6. (adj) civilian; civil
49

50.4
11-Jun-2009 1. (n) body or part of the body
2. (v) personally do or experience something; put oneself in another’s position
3. (n) substance
50 50.2 zhèng
17-Jan-2011 1. (n) politics; political affairs
2. (n) certain administrative aspects of government
3. (n) affairs of a family or an organization
51 50.1 měi
04-Feb-2010 1. (adj) beautiful; pretty
2. (adj) very satisfactory; good
3. (n) beauty
4. (v) beautify; prettify
52 49.9 xiāng
23-Apr-2010 1. (adv) each other; one another; mutually
2. (adv) indicating an action performed by one person toward another
3. (v) see for oneself (whether somebody or something is to one’s liking)
53

49.8 jiàn
06-May-2009 1. (v) see; catch sight of
2. (v) meet; call on
3. (n) view; opinion
54 49.7 bèi
17-Feb-2010 1. (n) quilt
2. (prep) by; used in a passive sentence to introduce either the doer of the action or the action if the doer is not mentioned
3. (particle) used to form a set phrase with a passive meaning
55 49.5
07-Oct-2010 1. (adj) sharp
2. (adj) favourable; smooth
3. (n) advantage; benefit
4. (n) profit; interest
56 49.4 shén
22-Jul-2009 1. (pro) what
2. (pro) something
3. (pro) anything
4. (pro) whatever (used correlatively with another 什么)
57 49.3 èr
05-Aug-2011 1. (num) two
2. (adj) different
58 49.1 děng
21-Apr-2010 1. (n) class; grade
2. (n) kind; sort
3. (v) equal
4. (v) wait
5. (v) and so on; and so forth
6. (particle) and so on; and so forth
59

49.0 chǎn
09-Jul-2010 1. (v) give birth to
2. (v) produce
3. (n) product
4. (n) property; estate
60 48.8 huò
26-Apr-2010 1. (adv) maybe; probably
2. (conjunction) or; either… or…
61 48.7 xīn
27-Apr-2010 1. (adj) new
2. (adv) newly; freshly; recently
62 48.6
21-Jun-2010 1. (n) self
63

48.5 zhì
15-Nov-2010 1. (v) make; manufacture
2. (v) work out; formulate
3. (v) restrict; control
4. (n) system
64 48.3 shēn
10-Jun-2009 1. (n) body
2. (n) life
3. (n) oneself; personally
65 48.2 guǒ
01-Jun-2010 1. (n) fruit
2. (n) result; outcome
3. (adj) resolute; determined
4. (adv) really; as expected
66 48.1 jiā
22-Jun-2010 1. (v) add; plus
2. (v) increase; augment
3. (v) put in; add; append
4. (v) used in the same way as 加以 usually after a monosyllabic adver
67 西 47.9
30-Sep-2009 1. (n) west
2. (n) occidental; western
3. (n) 东西 – things
68 47.8
12-Jan-2011 1. (pro) (Literary) this
2. (conjunction) (Literary) then; thus
69 47.7 yuè
08-Sep-2009 1. (n) month
2. (adj) monthly
3. (n) the moon
70

47.6 huà
01-Apr-2010 1. (n) word; talk
2. (v) talk about; speak about
71 47.4
30-Sep-2010 1. (v) close; shut
2. (v) join; combine
3. (v) suit; agree
4. (v) be equal to; add up to
72 47.3 huí
13-Aug-2009 1. (v) return; go back
2. (v) answer; reply
3. (v) turn around
73 47.2
19-Jul-2010 1. (adj) special; particular
2. (adv) especially
3. (adv) extremely
4. (v) secret agent
74 47.1 dài
22-Feb-2011 1. (v) take the place of; be in place of
2. (v) acting; act as
3. (n) historical period
4. (n) era
5. (n) generation
6. (measure word) generation
75 47.0 nèi
10-Jun-2010 1. (n) inside; inner part or side
2. (n) within; in; inside
3. (n) inner; internal
4. (n) one’s wife or her relatives
76 46.8 xìn
24-Sep-2009 1. (v) to believe
2. (n) letter; mail
3. (n) message; word; news
77

46.7 biǎo
23-Jul-2010 1. (n) watch
2. (n) appearance; surface
3. (n) meter
4. (n) table; form
5. (n) model
6. (n) model
78 46.6 huà
16-Nov-2010 1. (v) change; turn; transform
2. (v) convert; influence
3. (v) melt; dissolve
4. (v) digest
5. (v) die
6. (v) die
79 46.5 lǎo
10-Mar-2011 1. (adj) old (not young)
2. (adj) old (not new)
3. (adj) experienced; veteran
4. (adj) (of food) well-done; tough
5. (n) always
6. (adv) always
80

46.4 gěi
29-Oct-2009 1. (v) give; grant; offer
2. (prep) for the benefit of; for the sake of; for
3. (prep) to
4. (particle) used before a verb for emphasis
81 46.3 shì
04-Nov-2010 1. (n) life
2. (n) generation
3. (n) age
4. (n) world
82 46.2 wèi
03-Mar-2010 1. (n) place; location
2. (n) position
3. (n) (Mathematics) place; figure; digit
4. (measure word) used for people (polite)
83 46.0
16-Jul-2010 1. (n) ranking; position in a series
2. (adj) second; next
3. (adj) inferior; second-rate
4. (measure word) occurrence; time
84 45.9
13-Dec-2010 1. (n) linear measure
2. (n) degree of intensity
3. (n) limit; extent; degree
4. (n) tolerance; magnanimity
5. (n) a unit of measurement for angles, temperature, etc.; degree
6. (measure word) a unit of measurement for angles, temperature, etc.; degree
85

45.8 mén
24-Jun-2010 1. (n) door
2. (n) valve; switch
3. (n) knack
4. (n) school of thought
86 45.7 rèn
10-Dec-2010 1. (v) assign somebody to a post; appoint
2. (v) assume a post; take up a job
3. (v) undertake; bear
4. (v) let; allow; give free reign to
5. (n) used for the number of terms served in a position, or the nth person to hold this position
6. (measure word) used for the number of terms served in a position, or the nth person to hold this position
87 45.6 cháng
11-Feb-2010 1. (adj) ordinary; common; normal
2. (adj) frequent
3. (adj) constant; invariable
4. (adv) frequently; often; usually
88 45.5 xiān
30-Jul-2010 1. (adj) earlier; before doing something else
2. (adv) (used with a negative word “不” , “别” , etc.) for the time being
3. (adj) late; deceased
4. (n) elder generation; ancestor
89 45.4 hǎi
08-Mar-2010 1. (n) sea or ocean
2. (n) lake
3. (n) a great number of people or things coming together
4. (adj) extra large
90 45.3 tōng
07-Dec-2010 1. (v) open; through
2. (v) lead to; go to
3. (adj) connect; communicate
4. (v) understand; know
5. (adj) all; whole
6. (adj) all; whole
91 45.2 jiāo
01-Aug-2011 1. (v) teach; instruct; take; tutor
45.2 jiào
03-Aug-2011 1. (v) teach
2. (n) religion
92

45.1 ér
12-Jul-2010 1. (n) child
2. (n) youngster
3. (n) son
4. (adj) male
93 45.0 yuán
04-Aug-2010 1. (adj) original; primary
2. (adj) unprocessed; raw
3. (v) forgive; excuse
4. (n) plain; level
94

44.9 dōng
29-Sep-2009 1. (n) east
2. (n) master; owner
3. (n) host
95

44.7 shēng
11-Jun-2010 1. (n) sound; voice
2. (n) reputation
3. (v) make a sound
4. (n) (measure word) used for sounds
96 44.6
15-Jul-2010 1. (v) carry (in one’s hand with the arm down)
2. (v) lift; raise
3. (v) bring forward
4. (v) put forward; bring up
5. (v) mention; refer to
6. (v) mention; refer to
97 44.5
21-Jul-2010 1. (v) stand
2. (v) set or stand something up; erect
3. (v) establish; set up
4. (v) draw up; conclude
98 44.4
31-May-2010 1. (v) reach
2. (v) be in time for
3. (v) be as good as
4. (conjunction) and; as well as
99 44.3
28-Apr-2010 1. (v) compare
2. (v) compete
3. (v) gesture; gesticulate
4. (v) liken to; compare to
5. (v) to (in a score)
6. (prep) to (in a score)
100

44.2 yuán
01-Aug-2011 1. (n) a person engaged in some field of activity
2. (n) member
3. (measure word) for general
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